Just say yes

The new pills are here & so far so good. No meltdowns. No ranting. No raging. Stan's happy. I'm happy. Heck - even the cats are happy.

Just say no

I started back to school this past week for staff development. I was working in my room when there was a knock on the door. One of my absolute favorite people at school, S, was standing there with a red face, red knuckles, and rapidly turning-red arms. She said she had taken zentrex - a diet/energy pill and she thought she was having an allergic reaction. We went back to her room and she took 2 Benadryl and then I walked her down to the nurse, all the while her face & arms are getting redder and redder. The nurse took her blood pressure and it was 130 over 86 - not high, but higher than it normally is. We talked her into letting me drive her to see the doctor and we started walking back towards our rooms.

S then says, "DeAnn, I think I need to go to the emergency room". I said OK & began walking a bit quicker.

She then says, "DeAnn, we need to hurry". I said OK & was almost running down the hall.

She then starts sobbing and begins crying out for help. We're right next to our rooms & I see that our friend's door is open & she's inside. I yelled "K Come quick!" while running into my room to get my purse & keys. K runs out (she told me later that she could tell something was wrong by the sound of my voice), sees S and goes over to help her walk outside. I brief her on what's going on, all the while our friend is barely walking and sobbing uncontrollably.

Thankfully a man teacher showed up and helped K and S walk outside. I run to my car and pull it up under the awning where they are all waiting. S is now on her knees, completely unable to stand. We can't get her into the car so another friend, J, calls 911.

We laid S out on the ground after the dispatcher told us to and we're trying to keep her awake but she's having a hard time keeping her eyes open. The paramedics arrived within 4 minutes, took one look at the bottle of pills, and said they'd been called about these several times before. They took her blood pressure and it was 160 over something, I can't remember, but it had shot up in just a few minutes.

S started coming around, sitting up and talking. Her blood pressure started going down. Apparently the Benadryl was really working at this point. After a few minutes the paramedics left and S started getting her normal color back.

It was the craziest, scariest thing I've ever had to go through. I watched her go from having a red face and arms to not even being able to stand up in the span of 2 or 3 minutes. We were all so filled with adrenaline that at this point - after we knew she was OK - all we could do was laugh. We told her that we called 911 after we realized that we weren't going to be able to put her in the car and she said, "No wonder I was taking diet pills!"

Just give me the ketchup & no one gets hurt

After I ranted and raved at Stan for not bringing home McDonald's ketchup to eat with McDonald's fries (I have to eat the ketchup that goes with the fries, each & every restaurant), he made the executive decision - for the good of the team - that I need to call the doctor to get on a new birth control pill.

Praise God for girlfriends

Ladies Night - in my opinion - was a rousing success tonight! I had a ball & I hope I wasn't too obnoxious & everyone else had fun as well.

I love that we can cut up and have fun together.

I love that we can be silly & giggle.

I love that we can joke & tease each other without feelings getting hurt.

I love that I can depend on these women at the drop of a hat.

I love that I can turn to any one of them with a problem and get good, sound, Christian advice.

I love the way that they are all raising their kids.

I love that - if needed - I can call any one of them to babysit my son & I would feel confident he was in good hands.

I love that they see a need for Christian women to fellowship and bond together.

I love that we're doing it again next month!

What a difference a couple of years makes

Yes, the cradle is still in the living room. I think Stan knows on some subconscious level that I need baby steps. The cradle's been taken apart, the legs are wrapped up and have mysteriously disappeared, and he knows that my psyche can't handle the big part disappearing as well.

We got in the other day from church & Caden immediately went & sat in it. I, ever on the lookout for a blogging moment, grabbed my camera & told him to lay completely flat. He barely fits! It made me laugh after my tearfest the other night.

I LOVE this kid!

Two Sides of a Coin

Happy time - Today we put Caden in his swimsuit & let him play in the sprinklers. As you can see, he absolutely loved it. He went from one sprinkler head to another & giggled and squealed the whole time. Our neighbors across the street were finishing up their garage sale & their 2 oldest daughters came over & asked if they could run through the water too. We said, "Sure - why not?"


Sad time - This is the day we brought Caden home from the hospital. The cradle is handcrafted - by Stan & his dad - and is absolutely phenomenal. Experienced woodworkers have been shocked upon hearing that Stan built it; it's that beautiful.

I went out this evening to get a snack and when I got home, it was in several pieces in the living room. Stan took one look at me & said he had to do it in order to get it up in the attic. We simply don't have room in our office to store it anymore. And my head knows this, it's just that my heart hurt seeing it disassembled.

It's like this. I love the stage where Caden is at: talking, independent, curious. But I deeply miss the little baby. It's like a person who I loved so much and now I'll never get to see him again. Because he's gone. Because he's so much different now. And I know that's how it's supposed to be, and I'm TRULY happy with this stage/season of life. But walking into the living room and seeing a tangible piece of his babyhood in pieces...it just tore me up. It's tearing me up right now typing this. But then I look at the pictures of him playing in the sprinkler & I laugh and know that change - at least this change - is truly a good and natural thing.

Highlights of the last 2 weeks

1. This is Caden & his friend Bekah at the Children's Museum in The Woodlands. They are super cute together & it is so much fun watching them interact. When one of them would be ugly to the other, they would immediately apologize & hug. So sweet!

2. Walking with my friend Krista last night. We started late, but we got a good hour in & neither one of us 'felt it' because we chatted the whole time! I met her in graduate school at A&M & we've been great friends ever since. Nobody except Stan really 'gets me' like she does.

3. Stan & I went to dinner the other night & the waiter 'properly acknowledged' Caden. He took forever getting our drinks & we had to wait for awhile on the check, but he still got a good tip because he interacted with our son.

4. Getting to visit with our neighbors across the street. Caden basically invited himself in so we all got to go in. They are really nice people & I'm glad that we're getting to know them better.

5. Getting completely caught up on my Christmas planning. ('Redeeming my Season' is great for tips on a stress-free holiday season this year.) Stan & I had the Christmas talk, I got my notebook organized, & I've even completed half of Caden's shopping. I've also got specific gift ideas for about 80% of my list already!

6. I started a running program this week - the Couch to 5K program. In 9 weeks (I'm shooting for 12), I will be running 3 miles a day. Gerald if you're reading this - I would LOVE to go running with you at Christmas!

7. I spent 2 hours talking to one of my girlfriends the other day on the phone. I NEVER do this, but it was fun! AND - she's going to sew a pillowcase & sheet for Caden's toddler bed. Her website - Oh me, oh my Sweet Baby is up and running & she's taking orders. She's incredibly talented & one of the most solid Christian people that I know - definitely somebody that I need in my life.

8. Getting 2 birthday party invitations for Caden. He's a social butterfly so he will LOVE getting to go to parties!

9. Getting to have some special one-on-one conversations with my wonderful honey. He's worked a LOT lately, but we've gotten some great quality time in.

Ranting from a self-described grammar nerd

As an English teacher, I do not expect everyone to be as familiar with the grammar rules as I am, but I do expect some of the more basic rules to be followed...

Like how to use an apostrophe.

It is there to show when a letter or letters have been left out: shouldn't (should not), can't (cannot), should've (should have), etc.

Or it is used to show possession: Caden's shirt, the player's ball, The Smiths' house (all of the Smiths, not just one)

It is NOT, I repeat NOT EVER to be used to make a word plural. You add an -s or an -es to the word. Sometimes you have to change the 'y' to 'i' and add -es, but that's the only tricky part: shirts, Tuesdays, boxes, babies.

This Christmas when you create your cute photo cards that say Merry Christmas from the... don't put an apostrophe there. Just add an -s or an -es. Smiths, Aalberses, Steinbeckers - it's easy.

I realize I probably let this get to me a little bit too much. If I see this on a TV program like I did the other night (Food Network was talking about food phobias except they said phobia's), I will look at Stan and say, "You've got to be kidding me". If I see it in an email or blog, I just shake my head and vow to teach my students not to do this. If I see it written on a board I will stare at it forever, never hearing the point of the lesson or presentation.

Yes - I am a grammar nerd. But please - if you learn nothing else from reading this blog - please, please learn this lesson. It's the one thing I'm freaky about. I realize I need help, but until that day comes, just please do not use another apostrophe to make a word plural.

Stan - and my blood pressure - thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Random act of kindness

I was at Albertson's this morning picking up a few needed things. I only went b/c it was right next to Walmart & I didn't have to drive anywhere else. Goodness - how does that place stay in business? Absolutely sky-high prices.

I saw a young mother with a brand new baby perusing the aisles. She had the new mother uniform on: mismatched, wrinkled sweats, flip flops, and her hair was tossed up in that "the baby's crying; I don't have time to be fancy" ponytail bun style we've all done before.

I smiled because I remember those days. I remember them much more fondly than I thought I would when I was going through them. You know, when you're brand new to motherhood and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight to the waking up at all hours, wondering if he's hungry, dirty, itchy...the list & uncertainty goes on.

I kept shopping and as I turned a corner, I saw her again. Her baby was fussing and she was attempting to get her out and get her covered with the blanket as soon as possible because we were in the frozen section and it was quite chilly. This other lady turned the corner down by the new mother, obviously in a hurry to get what she was searching for when she saw the young mother. She stopped. She grabbed the blanket from the young woman and held it until the mother could get situated with her baby. She then gently laid the blanket on the baby's back and tucked it up under the mother's arms. She then went about her merry way.

I smiled throughout the whole interaction. That is something that I would never do in a million years. I'm too shy; I wouldn't want to intrude - whatever the excuse is, I'm just not comfortable going up to a complete stranger & helping her like that. But I think we're called to do that. So...next time I see the opportunity I am going to pass it forward, this random act of kindness thing. Pardon the cliche, but I will definitely be stepping out of my box to complete this task, but I will remember this blessing I saw today, take a deep breath, and step out.

At least he didn't poop again...

It has only been a week since we had Poop-gate at our house. So far things have been uneventful in that arena.

Until tonight.

At the end of his bath, Caden stood up and peed right in the tub. He looked down, looked at us, and said, "I potty".

What a kid.

Too busy dancing...

I haven't really had the time to post too much the last few days. Every time I sit down at the computer, Caden asks for one of two things.

He either points to the screen and says, "Football" or "Aggie Ball", meaning that he wants to watch the "We Bleed Maroon" video, or - and this is embarrassing, he points to the speakers and says, "Deet", his version of "Dance".

Now we can't dance to just anything. It has to be "Last Night" by Diddy, as in P. Diddy, as in Puff Daddy the rapper. I know what you're thinking - "What is WRONG with her? Why does she let - no encourage - her son to listen to rap?" In my defense, it's quite catchy, and it's not naughty at all. He absolutely LOVES to listen to it and he dances like he's on Solid Gold. Sometimes I have to hold him and dance, and the song is SIX minutes long!!! Oh my sweet goodness, the boy does love the hip hop. It's especially funny when he convinces Nana to dance with him.

Being a teacher of high school hooligans, I like to keep up with what's hot and happening on the music scene. I earn an exhorbitant amount of street cred when I look at them and pop off hip hop lyrics, albeit the clean ones of course. Sometimes they point and laugh, but most often they say, "Awww miss - you cool!" It's then that I get a golden opportunity to teach them how to conjugate the most complicated of all the verbs - to be. That wouldn't have happened without hip hop. So hip hop actually makes me a better teacher.

And it makes me a better mother because I can dance with my son.